Neighbourhood war over short-term rental at the ‘Emoji House’

While it may look like a quirky house at a popular beach spot, this abode has caused a massive feud between neighbours.

It’s the bright pink house sitting along the exclusive shores of Manhattan Beach in California. But the popular short-term rental has caused a war between the owners and next-door neighbours.

Dubbed the “Emoji House”, the once neutral colour home was painted a bold shade of pink with two giant faces staring out from each level of the complex.

And while it may look like a bit of fun, attracting tourists to take a photograph of the brightly coloured walls and cheeky smiles from the two emojis, neighbours are not impressed.

Frustrated homeowners and renters in the El Porto neighbourhood, as reported by the LA Times, plan to raise their concerns about the property at a city council meeting this week.

Some neighbours say the emojis — one being a winky face with big eyelashes and the other representing the “shut up” emoji — are simply mocking the locals who complained about the owner using the property as an Airbnb rental, which is illegal in the area.

According to Easy Reader News, the owner of the property — Kathryn Kidd — was fined almost $6000 after she was found guilty in violation of the city’s rental laws.

Susan Wieland, the woman who had dobbed her in to council, said the crazy looking “winky” emjoi appeared to be a jab at her, as she was wearing fake lashes when confronting Ms Kidd.

The homeowner, however, insists the home and the characters painted on the walls are not supposed to offend anybody and are designed to bring happiness to the community.

“I did it for the purpose of being happy, being positive, and I think it’s cute and quirky and kind of funny, and it certainly was a time for the emoji,” she told the LA Times.

Ms Wieland said she was annoyed that council workers weren’t taking her complaints about the mural seriously, with the body saying their hands were tied over the emoji paintings.

“To me, there are just so many ways the city could step in if they want to,” a disgruntled neighbour by the name of Dina Doll said.

The house, which is often used for short-term or Airbnb rentals, has become an attraction for people passing through Manhattan Beach.

“At this point, there is no neutral for the city. Not taking action is condoning this. And do we really as a community want to condone this?”

Ms Doll said the house also posed public safety and public nuisance issues because of the number of curious onlookers who visit the narrow road to take a photograph of it.

“Besides the obvious ugliness — and no one believes this is just artistic expression — it has now become a traffic nuisance issue with people stopping by to take selfies in front of the emoji house. It’s nuts,” Chris Strickfaden, who lives in the area, wrote in an email to the LA Times.

“I believe, generally, people should be able to do what they want with their property within the guidelines of the city without governmental interference, including painting their exterior. However, this situation is not about the right of the homeowner. It’s about one homeowner saying F-U to the person she blames for her plight and F-U to the rest of the street.”